Summer Skin
by Chantika19
Summary: James Potter makes a new friend over the summer before his 6th year. JamesOC. Not AU
1. Chapter One: Home, Sweet Home

**Summary:** James arrives home from King's Cross Station. Please, review!

**Chapter One: Home, Sweet Home**

James stepped out of the boxcar. His wiry, black hair flopped up and down as he hopped down the few steps onto the platform. Following closely behind was a very tall, thin, dark haired boy. His grey eyes gleamed in thesetting sun peaking in between spires and metal roofing. Next followed a lanky, older looking boy. His hair was the color of wet sand and hung over his clear blue eyes in clumps. The boys walked together towards the grouped families waiting to take their children home for the summer.

"Wait! James!" A short, chubby boy with mousey brown hair ran towards the three taller boys. "Sirius…Remus," he muttered between gasps for air. "I…lost…my breath."

"Oy, Wormtail, you better go find it," said the tallest boy as a roguish grin stretched across his face.

"Ha ha, Sirius. I only wanted to say goodbye," he drawled.

Sirius wrapped a long arm around Peter's shoulder. "You softie, Pete."

Remus smiled sheepishly and sighed, "We'll be back in three months."

James ignored all of this as he searched the station for any sign of red. "James? Looking for Lily are you?" Sirius called, jogging to meet him.

"I thought I should say goodbye to my future wife. Show her my manners, you know?" James gracefully, and much too animatedly, explained.

"If by future wife you mean future citizen of England, and by manners you mean the loathsome nausea you inspire in her, then, yeah, sure," Remus chimed in.

"She'll come around. Don't you worry your furry little head, Moony."

"You'll see her next year, Prongs," Sirius reasoned.

As they reached the crowd, the boys said their goodbyes and dispersed.

Mrs. Potter, an older, pretty woman of medium height walked with James to a pub a block away from King's Cross. Upon entering, she gestured her son towards the line formed before the large mantle. "James, you've hardly spoken a word to me at all."

"Sorry, Mum. Just tired from the train ride is all," he explained.

* * *

After changing out of his robes,James tiredly walked down stairs. "What's the matter? All you've done is mope since we've left the station. Miss your friends already, do you?" James plopped down on stool in the kitchen. "And what about that Lily girl? You miss her loads already, I'd bet." 

"Na. Well… I dunno. When's dad getting home?" He attempted to steer the conversation elsewhere. He didn't like the idea of discussing his 'love life' with his mother.

"Oh, he'll be home in a few minutes," she muttered, as she levitated a pot of potatoes into the sink for peeling and washing. She smiled brightly as she peered between the curtains of the kitchen widow. "Come have a look, James. The Browns are having their niece over for the summer. The poor girl has done nothing but help her auntie cook and clean. Hardly a vacation, I think," she finished, with a sympathetic smirk. James distractedly stood from him seat and sauntered to his mother's side. He ducked his head and peeked through the yellow cloth curtains. A small silhouette disappeared into the screen door of the veranda. Then a light switched on. A girl with tied back, light-brown hair took a seat on the wicker furniture just outside the door of the Browns'. James stepped back and leaned on the counter beside the sink. "She's a little older than you, just finished school actually, but maybe you two will get along together," Mary innocently suggested.

"What are you going on about, Mum? I already have friends, I don't need any more."

"Oh, sulk, sulk, sulk. That ginger-head has you wrapped around her finger." James frowned in a mixture of embarrassment and confusion.

"Have you _really_ stopped corresponding with Sirius?"

"How else am I to know what you're up to? You don't tell me a thing." James grunted in defeat.

"Can you just —just not bring her up?" James asked, taking another glace out the window.

"Did you have a fight?" Mary eagerly asked.

"Mum!" James growled. He returned his gaze out the window. The girl lounged on the wicker loveseat with a book in her lap. The light flickered as a breeze swept by and the front door slammed shut.

"James?" a voice called from the foyer.

"Dad's here!"

* * *

"Pass me the broccoli, Mary?" 

"Dad, here, I've got it."

"James, do you have any idea what you want to do for your birthday?"

"He's still got a week or so to decide, Mary."

"Well, actually, I was thinking about having a party _here_."

"Well, your father and I will discuss it later, dear."

"But I thought we were going to discuss it now. Why else would you bring it up?"

"Pass me a roll, James?" James rolled his eyes and passed a dinner roll to his mother.

"We'll talk about it later," Daniel whispered and winked to his son. James smiled inwardly and poked at his meatloaf.

"So, Daniel, I was thinking about, maybe, inviting the Browns over for dinner. How does that sound?" Mary brightly suggested.

"May I be excused?" James choked out between meatloaf-coughs.

"That's fine, dear. But, are you sure you're all right? Do you feel ill at all?" Mary carefully questioned. Daniel put down his fork and scrutinized the boy with squinting eyes.

"No, I'm fine. I'm just tired," he explained.

"Well, sleep in tomorrow. Don't worry about getting up. You need rest," Daniel insisted.

"Okay. Goodnight then," James called, already half way up the stair case.

"Is he all right?" Mary thoughtfully asked her husband.

"I'm sure he's fine. But I'm not so sure about a dinner with the Browns. You know how I feel about that old fool, Colin."

"You're just as old and just as foolish, Daniel," Mary reminded him. He chuckled and smiled lovingly at Mary.

"Right you are about that. But this table isn't big enough for the two of us."


	2. Chapter Two: Tennessee

**Summary:** James meets the Brown's niece and tries his hand at flirting. R&R!

**Chapter Two: Tennessee**

James awoke later than usual. He looked at his watch laid on the end-table beside his bed to find that it was already one o'clock. "Shite," he mumbled. He pulled on an old pair of faded denim pants and a clean black t-shirt.

After washing his face in the bathroom, James looked into the mirror. Large, hazel eyes rested under a thick, black brow. Small bags had formed around them from oversleeping. "_Rank_," he thought to himself. He turned on the faucet and cupped a bit of water in his hands. After studying himself a second more in the mirror, he brought his wet hands to his head and messed them around his flat, morning hair.

After rustling his hands in his hair enough, which was way_ too_ much by any one else's standards, James settled on his usual '_just-got-off-my-broom-stick_' look. Looking into the mirror one last time, he indifferently shrugged at himself and picked up his wand from the sink, sticking it into his back pocket.

James walked slowly down the hallway to the staircase, bumping into a doorframe on the way. He had his glasses off to pick the sleep out of his eyes. "Stupid wall," he grunted.

"James? Is that you?" An accusing voice sounded from the drawing room.

"Yeah. I'm coming," James called from the stairs, rubbing the soft spot where he had hit the wall. He walked into the drawing room and plopped himself down on the loveseat. Turning to look at his mother, he regarded not one, but two women.

"Oh, I didn't know you had company," James stood and cleared his throat, a little embarrassed. "I'll just leave you two to it then."

"No, James, Wait! This is the girl I was telling you about," his mother explained as she stood and walked towards him. The girl coyly grinned and followed suit.

"I'll stand too." She huffed in an amused way, and smiled brightly at the boy.

"James, this is Tennessee. Tennessee, my son: James." James suspiciously put out his hand.

"Lovely to meet you, James," Tennessee spoke softly and sincerely as she took his hand.

"You too," he smiled.

"Please, sit down, Tennessee," Mary gestured her back to her seat. She flashed her son a cold glare while the young girl wasn't looking. James rolled his eyes and took a seat as well.

"Tennessee is so long… and weird. Please, just call me Tenny."

"What kind of name _is_ Tennessee?" James asked as his mother tried to smooth down his hair. James swatted her hands away. Tenny smiled appreciatively.

"I think it may be Indian actually…But anyway, my father picked it. He named me after his favorite playwright." Mary stared at the girl and beamed. The room fell quiet and after a few moments, Tenny set her tea aside and stood. "I should probably be going. I wanted to take a walk down to that lake to see if the water is warm yet." Mary's jaw fell and she volunteered James to accompany her. James pursed his lips as his nostrils flared.

"No, no. That's alright. I don't want to trouble anyone," the girl quickly responded, noticing the look on James' face.

Mary smiled and countered, "Well, am I right to say that you don't know the way? James swims there every summer. He'd gladly show you, wouldn't you, dear?" James raised his arms in defeat. He stood up and ruffled his hair.

"I'm ready whenever you are."

James walked a few paces ahead of Tenny, looking back every so often to make sure she was still following. Upon sudden impulse, Tenny skipped ahead and met him.

"Could you slow down just a bit? I should've brought my broomstick. Then maybe I'd be able to keep up with you," she tried to joke. James quietly nodded and slowed his pace. His stomach rumbled empty. "Hungry?" she asked. "If you'd like, on the way back we can stop at my aunt and uncles. I could make you lunch. You know; as thanks." James considered her offer then considered his mom's cooking.

"Yeah, okay," he agreed. "See that, just there?" He pointed to a small wooded dock.

"That belongs to the Lees. I wouldn't recommend using it. The old grandfather tends to get a little upset. And sometimes he even tries to hex you."

"Just _a little_ upset?" Tenny frowned then chuckled.

"So, how old are you, James? What do you do for fun? What's your favorite color?" she ventured. James feigned a self-satisfied expression.

"I'm turning 16 in two weeks. For fun I …Well, my friends and I like to... Well, I don't know really." James searched for a simple word to answer Tenny. "We're just a bunch of trouble makers, really. And my favorite color is red. What about you, then?" James asked with a little more enthusiasm.

"I am 17 going on 18. Not for a few months, though. For fun, well, I like swimming. And I read a lot. I guess I'm sort of boring. Oh, and my favorite color is …hazel." James nervously turned away from Tenny and, placing his hands in his pockets, stepped around a large alder tree.

"This is your best bet. It's far away from anyone else's land and the water gets pretty deep just three meters out." James crouched at the lakeshore and swept his hands across the water. Then, after submerging his whole hand, he turned to Tenny. "It's getting warm already." A silly grin stretched across his face as Tenny reached down and removed her crocheted slippers. She carefully walked towards the water and took a seat not far from James, letting her feet fall into the cool water.

"You liar! It's freezing!" she yelped, quickly pulling her feet out of the lake and folding them under her legs. James sat down and let out a sigh.

"It's warmer than it usually is." He looked across the lake and smiled, but Tenny thought it seemed only out of obligation.

"Well, thank you for showing me the way. I'm sure I can find my way _back_. You don't have to stay here if you don't want to," Tenny assured James. "You just don't look to excited." James looked over at the girl and shook his head.

"You owe me lunch, remember?" He smiled crookedly. "It's too cold to swim today. The lake'll be ready in a couple weeks."

* * *

"Here you go," Tenny sing-songed as she placed a big, fat sandwich in front of James. Lifting the top bread, James inspected the contents. 

"No mustard, right?" he asked.

"No mustard. Honestly, I'm not that dim." James closed the sandwich and picked it up, taking a huge, whopping bite. After chewing and swallowing, James smiled and quickly took a drink of the punch Tenny had poured him. He cleared his throat and nodded in acceptance.

"Fantastic…"James took another bite and looked around the room. Looking to his side, he eyed an odd wooden object. It curled like an arm and a hook hung suspended at the end of the spire.

"Wass dis, den?" James asked, elbowing the contraption then taking another bite.

"That is… I have no idea," she looked at the object quizzically. "Anyway, what are you doing tomorrow, James?" Tenny raised her eyebrows up and down to entice. James stopped chewing and raised a pointed finger towards Tenny.

"No."

"What? You don't even know what I was going to ask, you prat!" James chuckled and covered his mouth to shield Tenny from flying sandwich.

"Okay, fine. I'm listening. But a tip: you looked a bit too excited about whatever you were going to ask me to do," James lectured.

"What are you, some kind of expert?"

"Master marauder," James coolly corrected.

"Master toerag. But anyway, will you please come over?"

"Why?" James very simply asked before taking another bite of his sandwich.

"Well, it's not that I particularly like you or anything, it's just that if I have company, I won't have to spend the day doing chores or something else equally stupid and boring."

"I heard about that from my mum: that your aunt has you cleaning and working all day. Maybe I'll consider… for a price," James folded his arms and leaned onto the table top.

"I'm not paying you. So forget about getting anything out of me." Tenny looked crestfallen. "_Idle hands are devils' tools_, my dear aunt says. But if you were here, my hands would be occupied elsewhere."

"Where?" James asked skeptically.

"You _are_ a master marauder," Tenny winked at James and stood from her chair. "Come on, I'll show you out." James walked to the front door and Tenny opened it to him. "Be here at two o'clock."

"All right." James smiled and walked across the way to his own house. Upon entering, his mother rushed him.

"How was it? She is such a nice girl, isn't she? Pretty too, don't you think?" she smiled and pinched James chin.

"It was fine," James ducked away from her and made his way towards the staircase.

"James dear, wait! Sirius sent an owl." She handed him a small piece of parchment and returned to the drawing room. James skipped every other step and ran into his room. Jumping onto his bed he ripped open the letter.

_Hey Prongs, _

How's the good life, mate? Nothing to do here, just

trying to avoid flyaway cruciatus. Are you having a

party, then? Or maybe you want to meet up in Diagon

Alley? Anything to get away from Bellatrix. This is, by

far, the worst Summer. I don't know if I can stand

it much longer. Write back.

-Padfoot

James scoffed and walked to his truck. After digging for a spare piece of parchment, he sat at his desk and dipped his quill.

_Nothing to do here either. I asked my mum and dad _

about the party, but no word yet. I don't know if I can

go to Diagon Alley, but I'll ask. Maybe I'll bring my new

friend. Mum will probably make me take her anyway.

Hope things look up for you.

-Prongs

James carefully rolled the parchment and tied a piece of yarn around it. He walked to the window and opened the shutters. "Eddie," he called after whistling. In almost no time, a large, brown barn owl swooped onto the window ledge. "Hullo, sir!" James patted the owl's chest feathers. "Take this to Sirius." The owl hooted in understanding and put a claw out for James to attach the letter.

* * *

Tenny sat with her aunt and uncle at the kitchen table. They had all just finished lunch. She looked down at her watch and noticed it was almost two o'clock. "Auntie Sherry, I invited the neighbor boy over for a game of wizard's chess today. Is that all right?" 

"Wasn't he over just yesterday?" her uncle absentmindedly asked.

"Never mind that grump, Tenny dear. Any friend of yours is welcome anytime, as long as your chores are done."

"Thank you. I'm going to meet him outside. He should be here in the next fifteen minutes. Uncle Travis, could I use your chess set?"

"Anything, dear. It's in the hall cupboard."

Tenny walked out into the warm air. The screen that surrounded the veranda kept the porch in shade, but the air was still warm and beginning to fill with moisture. Tenny set the board down and quickly ran upstairs to change into a pair or shorts. She smiled to herself. _The lake will be warm soon_, she happily mused.

After returning to the porch, Tenny heard a door shut and looked up towards the Potter house. She smiled and watched James jog over, his hair a mess and his glasses crooked. He looked much older than sixteen.

"Am I on time?" James yelled to her.

"Exactly," Tenny said, opening the screen door and ushering James inside. "I'd rather sit out here. There's a little breeze, and honestly, I don't want to listen to my uncle drone on about… whatever." James smiled and looked down at the chess board.

"Do I _really_ have to play chess?" he whined.

"Well, I guess not. If you can think of something better to do, we don't have to." Tenny reasoned.

"Let's go down to the lake and eat these." James mischievously smiled and held out a box of _Marionella's Mimic Mickies_.

* * *

"ROOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRR," James bellowed like a lion and clutched his stomach as he reeled on the ground, laughing. Not far, Tenny laid in almost the same position covering her face as it turned cherry red from laughter. 

"Truly… a Gryffindor," she choked out between giggles. James relaxed and smiled at an oddly shaped cloud; it slightly resembled Padfoot.

"Hey, Tenny. You didn't go to Hogwarts, did you?" he asked, turning towards her.

"Beauxbatons, actually," Tenny explained, reaching blindly sideways for a Mimic Micky.

"Did you REALLY? Did you have to wear a little blue hat and dance?" James excited asked, chuckling to himself and placing a dark green jelly bean in Tenny's hand. Tenny blushed as she felt James' warm, rough skin against her own.

"Yes and no. Yes, I wore the uniform, and no, I didn't dance," she said before popping the bean in her mouth. James eagerly looked over in anticipation.

"Wait," he interjected. "Why didn't you go to Hogwarts. You don't sound very French."

"ThssssssssssssssSSSssssSsss," Tenny hissed, flickering her green, forked tongue. James raised an eyebrow and smiled smugly.

"_Very_ attractive," he teased.

"I thought Gryffindors hate snakes… or Slytherins. That's what my father told me. —And my mother, who is from Germany went to Beauxbatons. She wanted me to go there too. My father agreed because he said there was always something 'happening' at Hogwarts while he was there; something dangerous," Tenny explained as James listened intently. "But enough about me. Your mum says you've got yourself a girl. How's that going?" James rolled his eyes at this.

"My mum only met you yesterday, and she's telling you about Lily already," James complained, reaching for another candy.

"Lily is a pretty name. What does she look like?"

"CaaaaaaCaaaaaaaw, CaaaCaaaaaw," James cawed like a crow. After only mildly chuckling, James regarded Tenny. "She has long, straight, ginger hair and great, round, green eyes."

"How dare she." Tenny feigned an offended expression. "And I get stuck with hair and eyes the color of shi-"

"But it doesn't matter what she looks like. She hates me. She really, actually, totally hates me." James sat up and looked over the lake. Tenny, still lying on the ground, watched him. He picked up the few remaining Mimic Mickies and after squishing them between his fingers, attempted to skip them across the water. _Lily isn't just going to wake up and realize she loves you one day, Prongs,_ James remembered Peter saying to him once. "I was thinking of going to Diagon Alley sometime in the next couple days. I'm going to meet a friend of mine there. Do you want to come?"

"Sure," Tenny agreed and sat up, scooting towards the water. Taking off her flats, she snuck her feet slowly into the water one at a time. James stood as she did this looked back towards the dirt road. "When is your birthday?"

"Eighth of July," James mumbled as he quickly turned back around and rushed Tenny on the ground, pulling her to her feet and picking her up from her waist. Tenny screamed as he walked her into the lake. "Don't you _want_ to swim? The water's nice and warm," James very calmly explained, though, unable to contain the enormous, yet squirmish smile stretched across his face.

"No, it's FREEZING! JAMES! Don't you DARE!" Tenny demanded.

"Fine, fine," James agreed, walking back onto dry land and setting Tenny down. "I just thought you wanted to go swimming." James shrugged innocently. Tenny fumed as and pushed on James' shoulders, hard. "Ouch. Oh, wait, doesn't that mean you like me?" James asked as his eyes grew wide and his jaw dropped.

"You are an idiot, and when I go with you to Diagon Alley, you are buying me something to make up for your stupidity."

"Anything, dear," James mimicked in Tenny's uncle's low, nasally voice. "You're sly. I think you probably would've been in Slytherin."

* * *

"So, James, what did you do today?" his father asked him while buttering his roll. 

"Er… I went to the lake with Tenny. We ate those beans you brought me," James took another bite of his casserole. Mary smiled oddly and patted the back of her husband's hand.

"Do you get along well?" Daniel asked.

"Yeah, I guess so. She's a funny thing. I actually wanted to ask something. Sirius sent an owl last night. He wanted to meet in Diagon Alley for the day. I thought I'd take Tenny along."

"Oh, James. That would be lovely," his mother sighed. Daniel chuckled at this and turned to his son.

"Were you planning on having lunch?"

"Yes …And I have to buy Tenny something to make up for trying to through her in the lake," he finished in a murmer.

"How are you planning on paying for that?" Daniel pursed his lips to contain a snicker.

"Well… I was hoping you could _lend_ me a couple galleons."

"There's five galleons in my case. Have at it. And Have fun…tomorrow?"

"I dunno. I have to talk to Sirius and Tenny. Probably the day _after_ tomorrow." James smiled and enthusiastically took another bite of his casserole.

"May I be excused?" he asked after finishing his plate.

"Go ahead. And get those Galleons before you forget."

"Thanks, Dad." James hoped out of his chair and ran to his father's office, picking the suitcase and setting it on top of the lectern. After finding the Galleons, James ran upstairs to the desk in his room to scribble a note to Sirius.

_Sparky, _

Dad says I can go. I'm bringing Tenny, too. Hows about

Tuesday, then?

-James

He carefully rolled the paper and walked to the already open widow.

"Eddie!" he called.

"It's Tenny. TEH-KNEE. And I'm trying to read; can you keep it down?" an annoyed voice sounded from the house across the way. James chuckled and leaned out of the window. He only saw her feet from under the veranda roof. She was probably sitting on the wicker sofa again, reading.

"Sorry, beautiful," James apologized, trying to sound like Sirius did when he talked to Madam Rosmerta during a Hogsmeade visit (and failing miserably).Tenny sat up and walked to the edge of the porch.

"Why should I trust you? You wear glasses." she asked, looking up at him from behind the screen. James scoffed and ducked out of Eddie's way as he swooped into his room.

"Well, my mom says so, too. Diagon Alley: Tuesday. All right? I'll buy you something. I promise."

"All right," she agreed, smiling adoringly at him.

"Goodnight, Tennessee."


End file.
